End of D’Arcy leaves clients up in the air

Publicis Groupe’s decision to axe the global D’Arcy network has left a number of UK advertisers, including COI Communications, stranded without an agency.

The move is also set to spark a global agency realignment of Procter &amp; Gamble’s (P&G) multi-million pound account.

This week, Publicis chairman and chief executive Maurice Levy announced the decision to fold D’Arcy into its Publicis, Saatchi &amp; Saatchi and Leo Burnett networks. Fallon is believed to be unaffected. The move comes just a month after Publicis’ acquisition of Bcom3 and is the first time a global agency network has been closed. The decision follows D’Arcy’s loss of the Masterfoods and Pampers business.

Fiat’s European advertising is likely to be consolidated into Leo Burnett – the business is split across Europe between D’Arcy and Leo Burnett.

P&G is understood to be about to announce a global review. Leo Burnett – already a P&G roster agency – is being tipped to pick up the bulk of D’Arcy’s work. There is likely to be a feeding frenzy over UK accounts such as the COI, tea company Tetley and McCain. Capital One Financial Services says it “hopes to find a solution within Publicis Groupe”.

MediaVest is now expected to be folded into Starcom Motive. The Arc Group of below-the-line agencies could continue independently.

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